Applications of genetics in aquaculture (2019 – an updated lecture)

This lecture has been delivered by Dr. Abdel Rahman El Gamal
during August 2019 as a contribution to the “Fish Culture Development training
course – Africa” which is annually organized by the Egyptian International
Centre for Agriculture (EICA) with the support by Japan International
Cooperation Agency (JICA). The introductory part of the lecture addressed the
key issues especially those related to the applications of genetics in
aquaculture which addressed the management of broodstock (with a special emphasis
on effective breeding number), selection methodologies (for single or multiple
traits), hybridization, ploidy induction (triploidy – tetraploidy) and ending
by advanced technologies such as gynogenesis, androgenesis and genetic
engineering. This updated lecture included more details on the heritability of
some economical traits in selected fish species. The main breeding issues such
as inbreeding, genetic bottlenecks, selection plateau and others have been
addressed in this lecture. The genetic background in the sex reversal of
tilapia fry has been covered in the lecture.